Structural reinforcement

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for reinforcing adjacent parallel spaced apart wooden structural members. Each of the structural members extends between first and second edges. The apparatus comprises a rigid member having first and second ends and being sized to extend between adjacent first and second structural members. The apparatus further comprises a first socket connected to the first end of the rigid member sized to receive a first edge of the first structural member therein and a second socket connected to the second end of the rigid member. The second socket is sized to receive a first edge of the second structural member corresponding to the first edge of the first structural member therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to structural reinforcement in general andin particular to reinforcing adjacent wood product structural members toeach other.

2. Description of Related Art

In the field of construction, it is often desirable to make a structureas strong as possible. The strength of a building is desirable for thepurposes of load bearing ability as well as resistance to outside loadssuch as earthquakes, wind and other environmental loading.

Building construction typically includes a plurality of elongate membersconnected each other to form walls, ceilings, floor and the like. In thecase of walls, such elongate wall members are often referred to as studswhile in ceilings and roofs, they may be referred to as joist.

One difficulty that exists is the tendency of relatively long structuralmembers to lose strength and rigidity as their length increases. This isoften required for floor and ceiling joists so as to provide largerrooms unobstructed by supporting walls and columns. Such long joists maycommonly be subject to torsional buckling failure. Another difficultythat exists with floor joists is when they are exposed to dynamicenvironmental loads such as earthquakes, strong winds and the like.Under such loads, the floor joists may rotate axially along their lengthso as to lay flat instead of upright. The resulting horizontal andvertical deflection of the entire load above such a floor may contributeto an entire building failing or collapsing.

Conventional methods of reinforcing structural members has not beenadequate to resolve the above difficulties. Previous attempts have triedto locate bridges or blocks between adjacent joists to distribute pointloads located near a single joist to adjacent joists so as to distributethe load between more than one joist. Bridging involves locating a pairof crossed diagonal wooden members between adjacent joist whereasblocking typically includes locating a shortened length of the joistmember transversely between the joists. Such attempts have notadequately solved the above difficulties. In particular, blocking orbridging is only able to act as a compressive member between the joistsand will have a very limited ability to prevent the joists from movingaway from each other.

When the joist members are subjected to torsional loading, the blockingmembers on one side of the joist are subjected to opposite loads. Forexample, when a torsional load is applied to the joist along thelongitudinal axis of the structural member, the blocking member abuttingone side of the top chord of the joist is subjected to a primarilycompressive load, and the blocking member abutting opposite side of thetop chord is subject to a tensile load. Similarly, for the sametorsional load, the bottom chord on the same side of that joist willalso be subjected to a tensile load. The compressive load may beconveyed efficiently to the blocking member abutting the top chordthrough the contacting surfaces of the blocking and the joist chord.However the tensile load on both blocking member on the opposite side ofthe top chord and on the bottom blocking member is born entirely by thefastening device used. Therefore unless such fasteners are specificallydesigned to bear tensile loads under repeated loading cycles, this islikely to cause premature failure of the structure when such fasteners,such as a nail or a screw pulls out. Due to the inability of bridgingand blocking to effectively handle loads in tension, such reinforcingwill not significantly assist in the reinforcing of a structure undercyclical environmental loads such as earthquakes, winds and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed an apparatus for reinforcing adjacent parallel spaced apartwooden structural members. Each of the structural members extendsbetween first and second edges. The apparatus comprises a rigid memberhaving first and second ends and being sized to extend between adjacentfirst and second structural members. The apparatus further comprises afirst socket connected to the first end of the rigid member sized toreceive a first edge of the first structural member therein and a secondsocket connected to the second end of the rigid member. The secondsocket is sized to receive a first edge of the second structural membercorresponding to the first edge of the first structural member therein.

The first and second sockets may comprise c-shaped channels. Thec-shaped channels may extend perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis ofthe rigid member. The c-shaped channel may be formed of first and secondopposed flanges and a web portion therebetween.

At least one of the first and second opposed flanges may be selectablydeformable so as to open the c-shaped channel. The c-shaped channels mayinclude at least one fastener bore sized to pass a fastener therethroughso as to secure the c-shaped channel to the structural member. The firstflange may include a perpendicular connecting tab extending from an edgethereof away from the c-shaped channels wherein the rigid member extendsfrom the second flange.

The first and second sockets may be rigidly affixed to the rigid member.The first and second sockets may be integrally formed with the rigidmember. The rigid member and the first and second caps may be formed ofmetal. The rigid member may comprise an elongate beam. The beam may beselected from the group consisting of a tube, a box section, an I-beam,a c-shaped channel, an L-shaped channel and a triangular cross sectionbeam.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed a kit for reinforcing adjacent parallel spaced apart woodenstructural members. The kit comprises a pair of rigid member havingfirst and second ends and being sized to extend between adjacent firstand second structural members.

Each rigid member further comprises a first socket connected to thefirst end of the rigid member sized to receive a first edge of the firststructural member therein and a second socket connected to the secondend of the rigid member. The second socket is sized to receive a firstedge of the second structural member corresponding to the first edge ofthe first structural member therein.

The kit may further comprise a linking member extending between thefirst and second rigid members. The linking member may be substantiallyrigid.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there isdisclosed an apparatus for reinforcing adjacent parallel spaced apartwooden structural members. The apparatus comprises a first rigid memberhaving first and second ends sized to extend between adjacent first andsecond structural members. The apparatus further comprises a firstsocket connected to the first end of the first rigid member sized toreceive a first edge of the first structural member therein and a secondsocket connected to the second end of the first rigid member. The secondsocket is sized to receive a first edge of the second structural membercorresponding to the first edge of the first structural member therein.The apparatus further comprise a second rigid member having first andsecond ends sized to extend between the first and second structuralmembers. The apparatus further comprises a first socket connected to thefirst end of the second rigid member to receive a second edge of thefirst structural member therein and a second socket connected to thesecond end of the second rigid member. The second socket is sized toreceive a second edge of the second structural member corresponding tothe second edge of the first structural member therein. The apparatusfurther comprises a linking member extending between the first andsecond rigid members. The linking member may be substantially rigid.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction withthe accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention whereinsimilar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a firstembodiment of the present invention for reinforcing structural membersas located between floor joists.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a bottom bracket of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 being applied to adjacent floor joists.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a connecting member being connectedto the bottom bracket of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a top bracket of the apparatus ofFIG. 1 being applied to the adjacent floor joists.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a cut sheet useful for forming one of the rigidmembers of FIG. 1 having sockets on each end thereof.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an apparatus for reinforcing structuralmembers according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, an apparatus for stabilizing adjacentstructural members 6 according to a first embodiment of the invention isshown generally at 20. The apparatus 20 comprises a pair of parallelspaced apart first or top and second or bottom rigid members 22 and 24,respectively, each spanning between one of the top or bottom edge 8 of apair of adjacent structural members 6. Each rigid member 22 and 24includes a pair of sockets 26 and 28, respectively, sized to receive thetop or bottom edge 8 or 10, respectively, of the structural membertherein to form either a top or bottom bracket, respectively. Theapparatus 20 also includes a connecting member 30 extending between thefirst and second rigid members 22 and 24. It will be appreciated thatsuch a connecting member 30 will serve to retain the top and bottomsockets 26 and 28 in engagement on the structural member. Each set oftop and bottom rigid members 22 and 24 and connecting member 30 maycomprise a single structural reinforcing device. It will also beappreciated that in some embodiments, a single rigid member 22 or 24with its connected sockets 26 or 28 may be utilized alone as areinforcing device. In other embodiments, a pair of top and bottom rigidmembers 22 and 24 may be utilized without a connecting member 30therebetween. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the top and bottom sockets 26and 28 of an opposed pair of rigid members 22 and 24 cooperate togetherto retain the structural member therebetween.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a front perspective view of the apparatus20 is illustrated according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention. The top and bottom rigid members 24 may be formed of sheetmetal bent into a c-shaped channel. With reference to the top rigidmember 22, the channel may be formed of a web portion 32 having a pairof sides 34 and 36 at each side thereof. The sides 34 and 36 may be bentto the same side of the web portion 32 so as to extend from the sameside of the web portion 32 as the top sockets 26. The bottom rigidmember 24 may be formed in a like manner with a web portion 38 and sides40 and 41. It will also be appreciated that although the rigid members22 and 24 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 may be formed of bent sheetmetal, it may also be formed by other means such as an extruded, cast orwelded structure. It will also be appreciated that one or both of thesides 34 or 36 and 40 or 41 may be omitted depending on the strengthrequirements of the application. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6,the web portions 32 and 38 may include one or more bores 37 therethroughso as to permit a pair of rigid members 22 and 24 to be secured to aconnecting member 30 as described below. As illustrated in FIG. 2, thesides of the rigid members may have notched portions 59 adjacent to thetop and bottom sockets 26 and 28 so as to provide some flexibilityduring installation.

The top sockets 26 may comprise an open c-shaped channel formed of firstand second top side flanges 42 and 44, extending from the top webportion 43 forming a channel opening 46. As illustrated, the web portion32 of the top rigid member may extend from a side edge of the first side42 of the top socket 26. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the webportion 32, first side 42 and the rigid member 22 may be substantiallyorthogonal to each other although, it will be appreciated that the rigidmember 22 may be optionally angularly offset from the top socket 26 soas to permit non-normal attachment to the structural members.

The bottom socket 28 may comprise an open c-shaped channel formed offirst and second bottom side flanges 50 and 52, respectively extendingfrom the web portion 45 of the bottom rigid member so as to form achannel opening 56. As illustrated, the web portion 38 of the bottomrigid member may extend from a side edge of the first side 50 of thebottom socket 28. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the web portion 38,first side 50 and the rigid member 24 may be substantially orthogonal toeach other although, it will be appreciated that the rigid member 24 maybe optionally angularly offset from the bottom socket 28 so as to permitnon-normal attachment to the structural members.

The top channel opening 46 is sized and shaped to correspond to the topedge 8 of the structural member. The bottom channel opening 56 is sizedand shaped to correspond to the bottom edge 10 of the structural member.In many applications, the structural member 6 will comprise a floor orceiling joist, such as by way of non-limiting example dimensionedlumber, space frame or I-joists formed of wood, metal or the like.Dimensioned lumber is commonly of a 1.5 inch width and therefore forsuch applications the top and bottom channel openings 46 and 56 will besized to have a similar width opening. It will be appreciated that otherthicknesses of structural members in general and joists in particularmay also be utilized, such as, by way of non-limiting example, sized toaccommodate a doubled up floor joist, a 2½ inch wide floor joist orother common wood or metal floor joist sizes. In some applications, thetop and bottom channel openings 46 and 56 may be sized slightly largerthan the width of the joist so as to facilitate installation. Inparticular, the top and bottom channel openings 46 and 56 may be up to3.2 mm (⅛ of an inch) larger than the joist for which they are designed.The sizing of the top and bottom channel openings 46 and 56 for I-joistsmay be similarly selected to correspond to the I-joist to be used.

The connecting member 30 may be formed of a rigid or resilient flexiblemembers such as, metal straps, bars, chain and the like, by way ofnon-limiting example. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the connecting member 30may be formed of a web portion 48 having sides 54 extending therefrom soas to form a c-shaped channel. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the connectingmember may be connected to the same sides of the top and bottom rigidmembers 22 and 24 together in substantial vertical alignment with eachother. In other embodiments, such as illustrated in FIG. 1, theconnecting member may be secured to opposed sides 34 or 36 of the rigidmembers such that the top and bottom rigid members 22 and 24 arevertically offset from each other. The web portion 48 of the connectingmember 30 may also have bores 53 (as illustrated in Figure adapted to

The top and bottom sockets 26 and 28 may include one or more fastenerbores 58 located in any one or more of the flanges or webs forming thesocket. The fastener bores 58 are sized to permit nails, screws or othersuitable fasteners to be passed therethrough so as to secure the top orbottom socket 26 or 28 to the structural member 6. The top and bottomsockets may also include apertures 55 through the side flanges 42 and 44and 50 and 52 to permit nails, screws or other suitable fasteners to bepassed therethrough so as to secure the sockets to the structuralmembers 6 therein. As illustrated in FIG. 11, the apertures 55 maycomprise circular bores, a plurality of bores, slots or any othersuitable opening. Optionally, the top and bottom sockets 26 and 28 mayinclude barbs, spikes or other suitable projections from an interiorsurface thereof so as to engage the joist when the apparatus 20 issecured thereto. Adhesives may also be applied between the top andbottom edges 8 and 10 of the structural member and the top and bottomsockets 26 and 28. The top and bottom sockets 26 and 28 may also includean optional connecting tab 60 extending therefrom for fastening adjacenttop and bottom sockets to each other with fasteners and the like. Asillustrated, the connecting tabs 60 may extend to one side of the topand bottom sockets although it will be appreciated that they may alsoextend to any combination of, opposed sides, same sides, or both sidesthereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the height of the connecting member 30 willcorrespond generally to the height of the structural members 6. Asdiscussed above, the top rigid member 22 is sized to extend between atop edge 8 of one structural member 6 and a top edge 8 of an adjacentstructural member. In practice, the length of the rigid member 22 willdepend upon both the spacing distance between them. Similarly, thebottom rigid member 24 is sized to extend between a bottom edge 10 ofone structural member 6 and a bottom edge 10 of an adjacent structuralmember. Generally, the distance between the structural members, which iscommonly expressed in centre to centre distance will correspond to thedistance to the centres of the two top or bottom c-shaped channelopenings 46 or 56. By way of example, for a floor constructed of 302 mm(11⅞ inches) high joists spaced 406 mm (16 inches) apart, length of therigid members 22 and 24 from the center of the c-shaped channel openings46 or 56 of the apparatus 20 would similarly be 406 mm (16 inches) Itwill be appreciated that other lengths will apply for joists ofdiffering spacing.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the rigid members 22 and 24 may be cut from asingle sheet of metal, such as, by way of non-limiting example, steel,stainless steel, aluminium or galvanized steel. The sheet metal may becut into a blank 90 as illustrated in FIG. 8 according to known methodsand thereafter bend into the desired shape as illustrated and describedabove. By way of non-limiting example, the blank 90 may be formed withthe rigid member having the web portion 32 and side 34 and 36 adjacentthereto. The first and second sides 42 and 44 of the top sockets may bealso formed to either sides of the socket web portions 43. Thereafter,the blank may be bent along bend lines 94 to form the top bracket as setout above. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the two top sockets 26 maybe bent to a common side of the web portions 32 although it will beappreciated that the two top sockets 26 may optionally be bent toopposed sides thereof as illustrated in FIG. 11. Furthermore, the twobottom sockets 28 may also be bent to opposite sides such that each setof top and bottom sockets 26 and 28 on a common structural member 6. Insuch a manner, it will be observed that an apparatus 20 formed from suchoffset sockets will have each of the top sockets offset from each otherand each of the sockets along each structural member offset from eachother with the sockets located diagonally from each other being locatedto the same side to facilitate interconnection with adjacent reinforcingdevices as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Any thickness of metal as required to provide the necessary strength maybe utilized such as between 12 and 22 gauge. In particular, it has beenfound that sheet metal of between 16 and 20 gauge has been useful. Itwill also be appreciated that the apparatus 20 may also be formed ofnon-metal materials, such as, by way of non-limiting example, carbonfibre, fibreglass, plastics, ceramics and composite materials. It willalso be appreciated that although c-shaped channels are illustrated anddescribed above for the rigid members 22 and 24 and the connectingmember, other cross-section shapes may be utilized as well, such as, byway of non-limiting example, bar, tube, box section, I-beam, c-shapedchannel, L-shaped channel, a triangular cross section beam, or any othersuitable member. It will also be appreciated that although elongate,substantially straight members are shown, non-straight members may alsobe utilized, such as, by way of non-limiting example, arcuate, spaceframe, plates or any other shape as long as the top and bottom sockets26 and 28 are rigidly translationally fixed relative to each other so asto securely locate top and bottom edges 8 of adjacent structural memberrelative to each other.

In operation, and with reference to FIGS. 4 through 6, a bottom rigidmember 24 may be located on the bottom edges 10 of a pair of opposedadjacent structural members 6 by moving the bottom rigid member 24 in anupward direction as indicated generally at 80 in FIG. 3 such that thebottom edges 10 of the structural members 6 are retained within thebottom sockets 28 thereof. A connecting member may then be engaged withbottom rigid member 24 by aligning, in a direction generally indicatedat 82 in FIG. 5, the bores 53 of the connecting member with the bores 37of the bottom rigid member 24 and passing bolts 39, screws or otherfasteners therethrough. Although the bores 37 are illustrated as beinglocated at positions substantially in the middle of the top and bottomrigid members, in the accompanying figures, it will be appreciated thatthese bores may also be located at other locations therealong as well,such as proximate to one of the sockets 26 or 28 so as to provide asubstantially unobstructed region between the elongate structuralmembers 6 for locating pipes, plumbing, wiring and the like. The toprigid member 22 may then be located such over the top edges 8 of thestructural members 6 such that the top edges 8 are retained within thetop socket 26 thereof by moving the top rigid member 22 in a downwarddirection generally indicated at 84. Thereafter, bolts or fasteners 39may be passed through the bores 37 and 53 in the top rigid member 22 andconnecting member 30. Fasteners may also be passed through the fastenerbores 58 so as to secure the rigid members to the structural members orthrough bores 62 in the tabs 60 to secure the apparatus 20 to adjacentdevices.

With reference to FIG. 7, a bracket 100 for use in forming either thetop or bottom of the apparatus 20 is illustrated according to a furtherembodiment of the present invention. The bracket 100 comprises a planarportion 102 extending between first and second ends, 104 and 106,respectively. The bracket 100 may further include first and second endwalls, 108 and 110, extending perpendicularly from the first and secondends 104 and 106. The first and second end walls 108 and 110 definefirst and second structural member receiving locations 112 and 114,respectively. The bracket 100 may also optionally include first andsecond strengthening ribs 116 and 118 extending along the planar portion102. The bracket 100 may also include connecting tabs 120 extending fromthe first and second end walls 108 and 110. As illustrated in FIG. 12,the planar portion 102 may be angularly oriented between the first andsecond end walls 108 and 110 so as to permit the first and second endwalls 108 and 110 to be offset from each other along the structuralmember 6.

With reference to FIG. 9, a bracket 140 for use in forming either thetop or bottom of the apparatus 20 is illustrated according to a furtherembodiment of the present invention. The bracket 140 comprises a planarportion 142 extending between first and second ends, 144 and 146,respectively. The bracket 140 further includes first and second sockets,150 and 152, respectively, located at the first and second ends 144 and146 oriented to receive the structural member therein in a directiongenerally perpendicular to the planar portion 142 as illustrated. Theplanar portion 142 may also optionally include strengthening ribs 148extending along the planar portion 102. As illustrated the strengtheningribs 148 may extend away from the planar portion 142 in an oppositedirection from the orientation of the sockets 152 although it will beappreciated that they may also extend in the same direction. The sockets150 and 152 are each formed of interior and exterior walls, 154 and 156,respectively with a bridging portion 158 therebetween. As illustrated,the planar portion 142 extends from the top most edge of the interiorwalls 154 so as to form a space 170 thereunder. When the bracket 140 isinstalled on a pair of parallel floor joists, the space will bemaintained between the planar portion 142 and a flooring material so asto provide a location to contain plumbing wiring and the like. Theheight of the space 170 may be adjusted by providing an interior wall154 if different heights. As illustrated, the interior wall 154 may havea height less than the height of the exterior wall, although it will beappreciated that the height of the interior wall may also be the same orgreater than the height of the exterior wall as well. The bracket 140may also include connecting tabs 160 extending from the exterior walls156 for securing to adjacent brackets, as set out above. As illustratedin FIG. 13, the planar portion 142 may be angularly oriented between thefirst and second sockets 150 and 152 so as to permit the first andsecond first and second sockets to be offset from each other along thestructural member 6.

Although as illustrated above, the ridged members are illustrated asbeing substantially straight, it will be appreciated that other shapesbetween pairs of sockets 26 or 28 may also be utilized having othershapes or profiles as well. In particular, the rigid members may becurved, or arcuate or formed of a plurality of rigidly or pivotallyconnected member segments. With reference to FIG. 10 an apparatus forstabilizing adjacent structural members according to a furtherembodiment of the invention is shown generally at 180. The apparatus 180comprises central plate 182 extending between first and second sides 184and 186, respectively and top and bottom edges 188 and 190,respectively. The plate supports the top sockets 26 and bottom sockets28 therefrom and may optionally include an opening 192 or aperturetherethrough as desired by a user for passing pipes, wires, plumbing orthe like. Although the opening 192 is illustrated as being substantiallycircular in FIG. 10, it will be appreciated that other shapes may alsobe useful as well, such as, by way of non-limiting example, square,rectangular, oval, triangular, octagonal or irregular.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of theinvention only and not as limiting the invention as construed inaccordance with the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for reinforcing adjacent parallelspaced apart wooden structural members, each of said structural membersextends between first and second edges, the apparatus comprising: arigid member having first and second ends and being sized to extendbetween adjacent first and second structural members; a first socketconnected to the first end of said rigid member, said first socket beingsized to receive a first edge of said first structural member therein;and a second socket connected to said second end of said rigid member,said second socket being sized to receive a first edge of said secondstructural member corresponding to said first edge of said firststructural member therein.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second sockets comprise c-shaped channels.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said c-shaped channels extend perpendicularly to alongitudinal axis of said rigid member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3wherein said c-shaped channel is formed of first and second opposedflanges and a web portion therebetween.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4wherein at least one of said first and second opposed flanges isselectably deformable so as to open said c-shaped channel.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 4 wherein said c-shaped channels include at least onefastener bore, sized to pass a fastener therethrough so as to securesaid c-shaped channel to said structural member.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 4 wherein said first flange includes a perpendicular connectingtab extending from an edge thereof away from said c-shaped channelswherein said rigid member extends from said second flange.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sockets are rigidlyaffixed to said rigid member.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidfirst and second sockets are integrally formed with said rigid member.10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rigid member and said firstand second caps are formed of metal.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said rigid member comprises an elongate beam.
 12. The apparatusof claim 11 wherein said beam is selected from the group consisting of atube, a box section, an I-beam, a c-shaped channel, an L-shaped channeland a triangular cross section beam.
 13. A kit for reinforcing adjacentparallel spaced apart wooden structural members comprising a firstapparatus of claim 1 for engaging top edges of adjacent first and secondstructural members and a second apparatus of claim 1 for adjacent bottomedges of said first and second adjacent structural members.
 14. The kitof claim 13 further comprising a linking member extending between saidfirst and second rigid members.
 15. The kit of claim 14 wherein saidlinking member is substantially rigid.
 16. An apparatus for reinforcingadjacent parallel spaced apart wooden structural members comprising: afirst rigid member having first and second ends and being sized toextend between adjacent first and second structural members; a firstsocket connected to said first end of said first rigid member, saidfirst socket being sized to receive a first edge of said firststructural member therein; a second socket connected to said second endof said first rigid member, said second socket being sized to receive afirst edge of said second structural member corresponding to said firstedge of said first structural member therein; a second rigid memberhaving first and second ends and being sized to extend between saidfirst and second structural members; a first socket connected to saidfirst end of said second rigid member, said first socket being sized toreceive a second edge of said first structural member therein; and asecond socket connected to said second end of said second rigid member,said second socket being sized to receive a second edge of said secondstructural member corresponding to said second edge of said firststructural member therein; and a linking member extending between saidfirst and second rigid members.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 whereinsaid linking member is substantially rigid.